Reviews by Zorro:

Smell is malty and fruity with lots of fig aromas to it. Spicy alcohol scent carries the smell of whisky, smoke, vanilla and nuts to my nose. Fairly sweet smelling but more in the whisky is than beer.

Taste is semi sweet and smoky in the first sip. Some sting from the alcohol level here, you can in fact detect it. Quickly this beer becomes smoky and full of the flavor of walnuts with a pleasantly mild bitter after taste. Significantly warming in the chest as you drink it, this would make a great winter beer experience. This is an ale that is nuttier in flavor than fruity, much like a sherry wine.

Mouthfeel is good and thick, almost milky.

A good tasting ale here that is near great but is a little light on the malt for the beer style. This would be an awesome Christmas beer to share with the family at holiday time. (934 characters)

More User Reviews:

As really a Barleywine dressed in Scottish Strong Ale clothing- this heavily malted beer extends beyond the realm of anything Scottish and enters the world of cognac, brandy and Scotch whisky but in the most succulent and candied way possible.

Pouring an ominous tawny bronze color, its mysterious haze allows just enough light to pierce that its brilliant depth of colors may be explored. As a slow and deliberate rise of bubbles coat the surface, they are short lived as the slowly creep toward the edge before holding firm through the remainder of the session. With no lace in sight, the ale instead relies on its sugar laden brandy-type legging to adorn the sides of the glass.

Savory, sultry and undeniably masculine, the aromas of black-strap molasses captivates the nose immediately. Its rich and succulent scent is chocked full of chocolate, light coffee, light mesquite, vinous port, rum-soaked cherries, dates, figs, grapes and cashews. Heading into that first sip, its sweet and powerful scents are nearly as intimidating as they are rewarding.

Its incredible sweetness isn't for those that don't have a sweet tooth. Complex in taste- those deep molasses flavors are caramelly, nutty, and woodsy. Venturing past- other complexities keep building. First, there's a rich Belgian chocolate tone that joins with burnt toffee, and then reels in light Kona coffee, rich nutty taste, light campfire and cola. But then the fruity- winy flavors send the complexities into orbit! Rum-like and spicy, notes of dark, dried and pitted fruits offer up cherry, grape, figs and dates that when joined with a particular saltiness- reminds me of teriyaki.

With utmost certainty, the ale is full bodied and with a lush syurpy texture that layers on the mouth without apology. Its masculine strength offers up a warming tartness gives the texture a chewy character with a certain oily viscosity and makes it much more of a savory sipper that a quaffable drinking beer.

I have no problem with this ale being a "mere" Wee Heavy that's scaled up to Barleywine-type proportions. Forget the style. Forget the rules. Forget its origins and inspirations. One sip changes all that and demands that the beer be seen in a special light- one not meant for the mere entusiast.... but for the connoisseur! (2,288 characters)

The beer is a dark brown with deep mahogany highlights around the edges when held up to the light. The body this on the lighter side of heavy, but the feel is full and slick.

The smell is a mix of dark fruit, brown sugar, a hint of yeast, and alcohol.

The flavor opens up big with a baseline of dates and figs mixed with caramel. Hints of cocoa come through mid-sip as the alcohol enters the mix, which gives the underlying flavor something of a brandy-like quality. As the alcohol continues to push at the close, the cocoa fades and earthy hops come through.

I can't believe I haven't had this beer until today.Pours a deep amber brown with a creamy light tannish colored head atop.Brown sugar and some meatiness in the nose,dark fruit makes it a full on malt dominated aroma.Dark fruit and caramel flavors with more sweet alcohol on top of it,very buttery with mild earth in the finish.A big sipping beer here with great full on flavors. (380 characters)

Appearance  The head came up big then went down quickly, which is typical of the style. The body is a thick, pond-like dark brown.

Smell  This ale is rich in malts and whisky notes. The malts are huge and very complex, consisting mostly of sugared toast and some dark, roasty, stout-like smells. There is a light peaty smoke here along with some dark, juicy fruits. The prune and tobacco are overpowering.

Taste  Man, does this sweeten up at the taste. The chewing tobacco dominates, and is mixed with some juicy prunes and raisins. This is just raunchy. It is so sweet and full of tobacco its amazing. Theres a light hint of the big alcohol but mostly this is like sucking on a leaf of chewing tobacco.

Mouthfeel  This is almost full-bodied with some straightforward, rather harsh sweetness throughout.

Drinkability  I really enjoyed this take on the style, although BJCP might disagree. (914 characters)

T: Delicious malts all around. Very complex malt profile. Some bready notes, but most of all lots of caramel. With a complementary fruitiness, that has a very gentle tart character (perhaps caused by cellaring), I get a sensation similar to hard fruit candy. The finish as mildly bitter with more notes of malts, a gentle roasted note and some alcohol. The alcohol is nicely hidden and well integrated.

M: Medium body with a slick texture.

D: A well crafted beer. Very impressive malty profile and surprisingly easy to drink. (756 characters)

One of the most enjoyable wee heavies I've had in awhile. Nose is soft, but reveals a rather complex union of bready biscuit malt, rich medium-dark caramels, and hints of a leathery peat. The taste is more of the same, as fully toasted malts finish with dark caramels balanced by just enough hops to eliminate any cloying but also not make it bitter. It also softens up a bit as it warms in the glass, adding touches of toffee and lighter caramels. This is one fine beer. (475 characters)

Taste: Creamy and smooth with a slick back to it, faint undertones of roasted grain and a slight smokiness make themselves known first. Rich malty palate of caramel and mild ripe fruit runs across the taste buds. Alcohol is a well perceived presence but not in any over the top way, just with a mellow warmth and trace fusel alcoholic flavours. Bit of bready malt upfront is mostly lost in the end, the end seems more of a mix of the alcoholic strength and the ripeness it has transformed the byproducts into. Trace roasted grain and a ghost like smokiness appears in the finish.

Notes: This could be a perfect pairing with a cigar or as a night cap or even pair it up with a rich chocolaty & caramel dessert. Strong armed with alcohol and tiny complex flavours bursting throughout. This one has to get better with more age, the alcohol still seems a bit too brash but again not over the top. (1,453 characters)

750ml bottle was $12.99 at the Dilly Deli in Cincinnati. Pours a clear, dark mahogany body topped with a skimpy beige head that quickly falls into spotty patch lacing. Aroma has a surprising chocolate essence, followed by toffee, dark fruits, and fresh white grapes. A mild note of smoky Scotch whiskey completes the bouquet. Mouthfeel is thick and full, with subdued carbonation. A bit fusel with alcohol as it warms. Taste is more chocolate than any other malty taste. Some scorched coffee notes mix with the bitter chocolate as a wave of dark fruits enters the picture. Becomes vinous and fusel as it warms to room temperature. Lots of rum soaked dark fruits toward the finish. The roasty chocolate and coffee seem out of place here. A bit of a struggle to finish as the big alcohol is anything but subtle. A slight disappointment, given the exceptional character of other Alesmith offerings I've been fortunate to sample. (925 characters)

Woo hoo, another Ale Smith selection available in on the east coast/Massachusetts! Heavy glass bottle, silver foil and resplendent . Pours rich mahogany, dark dark amber, under a long lasting creamy mocha head, leaves plenty of well developed lacing. Emits a lovely sweet malt nose. Speaking of sweet malt, this beer oozes over the top, luscious and enjoyable malts. Whole wheat toast, maple, milk chocolate, smoke, peat, layer after layer of malty yummyness. Makes you want to slather it on some pancakes and all is good. Go get some, enjoy it today or lay it down for a year or two. (584 characters)

The beer pours a brownish color with a tan head. The aroma is heavy on the peat smoke, with some toffee and caramel malt thrown in. The flavor is a bit more complex. I get some nice toffee and dark fruit notes, along with a hint of peat smoke and some light alcohol notes. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice Scotch ale, glad I got to try this one. (410 characters)

Color is a ruby-chestnut with hints of deeper red...almost purple at the edges when held to the light. Sticky, long-lasting, 1"-thick head that is off-white in color. Appreciable lacing of the glass. Aromas run rampant with smoky malt mixed with dark fruity esters. More of the same for the flavor. Beefy flavor comprised of the raisins, plums, molasses. Warming ABV shows up mid-taste and lasts almost to the end. Caramel sweetness with a twinge of char end this one. Quite tasty. Chewy-big mouthfeel. Thick. Drinkable, to say the least. The only downside is the price ($12.99 per bottle). Other than that, another quality AleSmith beer. (683 characters)